Debut and DIC Corporation Establish Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Production of Multiple Novel High-Performing Active Ingredients for the Beauty Industry

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Mar 21, 2023, 09:00 ET

"The partnership harnesses Debut's vertically integrated biomanufacturing and DIC's global commercialization capabilities to produce and sell novel, sustainably produced, high-performing, natural ingredients for the beauty industry."

SAN DIEGO, March 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Debut, a vertically integrated, synthetic biology company, together with longtime partner and a global leader in fine chemicals, DIC Corporation (TOKYO:4631), today announced an agreement to biomanufacture and sell a large number of sustainably produced, rare, and natural polyphenol ingredients. This strategic partnership brings novel, high-performing, and clinically backed polyphenols to consumers for the first time and opens new product possibilities and health benefits for brands and consumers globally. Tiny amounts of these bioactive compounds can be found in fruits, vegetables, and nature, but their rarity makes these compounds too expensive or environmentally unsustainable for use in consumer products, despite their enhanced clinically proven benefits. This multiyear agreement focuses on bringing such rare naturals made possible through Debut's Bio2Consumer™ platform. The agreement will deliver rare and natural cosmetic ingredients concurrent with the construction of a commercial biomanufacturing facility slated to come online in 2024.

Martin Mayhew, VP of Commercialization & Tarita Fazio, Pilot Plant Manager operating Debut's pilot facility. Photo credit: Billy Economou, BE Studios.

In recent years, the beauty industry has embraced synthetic biology's ability to create higher performing and natural ingredients. Such nature-derived molecules would otherwise be difficult, if not impossible, to access through traditional cultivation or chemical production. Debut's platform combines cell-free enzyme catalysis and precision fermentation to eliminate the bottlenecks currently associated with synthetic biology, while requiring far less land, water, and energy than traditional manufacturing. Although several of these ingredients have only been manufactured at small scales for research, they have shown exceptional performance in beauty applications. This partnership targets the personal care market valued at $416B, with 5% CAGR, and aims to win on both cost and performance relative to established cosmetic ingredients. Gone are the days of vitamin C, retinols, and other more traditional active ingredients; this agreement brings a new wave of ingredients for exciting and innovative consumer products.

"DIC understands the complexities and demands of the beauty industry, so we're excited to move forward with them to grow and advance new sustainable and high-performance ingredients," said Dr. Britton. "Brands need access to new and rare natural ingredients that allow them to win in the marketplace based on their performance and not just a marketing story. Synthetic biology allows access to incredible products that are otherwise found only in trace quantities in nature. To date, consumers have been using traditional active ingredients when better performing ingredients are available in nature – we just had to work out how to make them for consumers." As part of the agreement, Debut will build a commercial biomanufacturing site, with construction beginning in the coming months. The site will be owned and operated by Debut, alleviating global biomanufacturing constraints while proving the operational flexibility to produce a wide variety of ingredients. This biomanufacturing site will allow the company to realize its goals of delivering new cosmetic ingredients with revolutionary capabilities to the beauty industry.

DIC, whose customers include brand owners that prioritize safety, efficacy and sustainability, will lead ingredient sales, marketing, and distribution of these ingredients globally. DIC shares Debut's commitment to sustainable manufacturing and is a fine chemical company with a top share of the global market for printing inks, organic pigments, and other compounds. In recent years, the company has affirmed a strong commitment to creating new businesses that respond to environmental, social and health (ESH)-related issues and social changes. "Debut's vertically integrated synthetic biology platform technology and commitment to transition from discovery to scaled-up biomanufacturing, combined with clinical testing and formulation is a huge leap for biomanufacturing and will allow us to start seeing synthetic biology derived products on shelves in the global marketplace. They are the only company that goes from novel ingredient discovery through to commercial manufacturing, clinical testing, and formulation – that's the future." said DIC Managing Executive Officer Kiyofumi Takano. "This partnership is a big step forward."

About Debut:
Debut is the unconventional innovation lab spearheading the next generation of big business. Only Debut has a scalable, integrated, climate-positive creation model powered by biotechnology that puts human wellbeing at its center and setting a new standard for profitable business to face an ever-changing world. The company's hybrid fermentation and cell-free approaches unlock latent markets, providing access to sustainably produced, natural ingredients with health benefits that cannot be obtained through other methods. Through our nimble discovery and biomanufacturing platform, we invent sustainable ingredients and products for consumer markets. To learn more about Debut Biotech, visit www.debutbiotech.com

About DIC:
DIC Corporation is one of the world's leading fine chemicals companies and the core of the DIC Group, a multinational organization comprising over 190 companies around the globe, including Sun Chemical Corporation, in more than 60 countries and territories. The DIC Group is recognized as a global leader in the markets for a variety of products essential to modern lifestyles, including packaging materials, display materials such as those used in television and computer displays, and high-performance materials for smartphones and other digital devices, as well as for automobiles. Through such products, the Group endeavors to deliver safety and peace of mind, and color and comfort, to people everywhere. The DIC Group also seeks to contribute to a sustainable society by developing innovative products that respond to social change and which help address social imperatives. With annual consolidated net sales in excess of ¥800 billion and 22,000-plus employees worldwide, we pledge to continue working in close cooperation with our customers wherever they are. To learn more about DIC, visit https://www.dic-global.com/

SOURCE Debut